Music has Michael Jackson, Basketball has Michael Jordan, and Drugs has Marijuana. These are some famous MJs. One is a very talented singer, the other is a glorious athlete, and one is a constant companion. Do you know which is which?

For most, they grew up watching the two MJs. For others, they were with the other MJ since high school. Yup, marijuana is the constant companion of a lot of people. These people are mostly those who are in the field of creative arts, belong to the depressed, or just plain hippies.

Marijuana and other Drugs to children, drugs are things that cure people. It is what they get in drugstores. Drugs are healthy and need to be taken when sick. The innocence of children is enviable. They think that drugs are something good.

On the other hand, adults consider drugs as something dangerous and should be avoided. Hence, they started using the word medicine. They are also replacing the name drugstore with pharmacy. They are, in fact, afraid of drugs. They don’t want children to misunderstand what drugs are. Continue Reading →

Cigarettes, guns, and alcohol – these are a few dangerous things that are legal. Every year, millions of people die because of these things. Yet, the government allows people to buy these. Why is that so?

Why do they allow people to smoke cigarettes when it causes diseases not only to smokers, but to the people around them? Why is alcohol allowed when it’s basically poison? More importantly, why are people allowed to have guns when they don’t really need one?

Marijuana, on the other hand, is a natural plant that has healing properties. Yet, it’s illegal to use, plant, and distribute marijuana.

Has the world gone mad?

Why is it allowing people to have things that kill, while forbidding them from getting something useful?

Maybe it’s because of the fact that marijuana legalization will not bring a lot of money. Unlike alcohol and cigarettes, marijuana does not need to be processed. More importantly, it can be planted in backyards, thereby making it less expensive to produce. The implication? No one really earns from marijuana.

So is it all about the money?

Well, if that’s the case, marijuana can also bring in tax collections and revenues.

In some countries where marijuana is allowed, using it can only be done in cafes. Furthermore, the governments of these places closely monitor marijuana distributors.

By doing these measures, the government is still able to earn tax revenues from marijuana users and distributors. For example, the state of Colorado has already earned millions of dollars from marijuana-related taxes.

Though marijuana cannot bring in as much money as alcohol and tobacco, legalizing it can bring in millions. More importantly, it is safer for users and can also serve as a medicine.

But if it’s not just about the money, then what’s it about?

Another reason why governments are not legalizing marijuana is because of cultural norms. Most countries that do not accept marijuana are those that have strict religions. These places are those which have low levels of liberated thinking.

If this is the case, the government can shift the perspective of these people. The government can point out that marijuana is a medicinal plant and can really be helpful.

Moreover, legalizing marijuana can lead to a decrease of crimes that are committed under the influence of drugs. Since marijuana is an antidepressant and it makes people feel relaxed, those who’d use it won’t be aggressive. It’s definitely different from the high brought by meth and cocaine, which results to robberies and even killings.

In conclusion, marijuana legalization is something worth fighting for. Not only will it bring in revenue for the government, a lot of people will benefit from it. The sick will have more options to treat their diseases, places will be more peaceful, and people can be healthier.